1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe having plural ultrasonic transducers for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, and an ultrasonic probe system including the ultrasonic probe and a functional module connectable to the ultrasonic probe.
2. Description of a Related Art
In medical fields, various imaging technologies have been developed for observation and diagnoses within an object to be inspected. Especially, ultrasonic imaging for acquiring interior information of the object by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves enables image observation in real time and provides no exposure to radiation unlike other medical image technologies such as X-ray photography or RI (radio isotope) scintillation camera. Accordingly, ultrasonic imaging is utilized as an imaging technology at a high level of safety in a wide range of departments including not only the fetal diagnosis in obstetrics, but gynecology, circulatory system, digestive system, and so on.
The principle of ultrasonic imaging is as follows. Ultrasonic waves are reflected at a boundary between regions having different acoustic impedances like a boundary between structures within the object. Therefore, by transmitting ultrasonic beams into the object such as a human body and receiving ultrasonic echoes generated within the object to obtain reflection points, where the ultrasonic echoes are generated, and reflection intensity, outlines of structures (e.g., internal organs, diseased tissues, and so on) existing within the object can be extracted.
Generally, in an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, an ultrasonic probe including plural ultrasonic transducers (vibrators) having transmitting and receiving functions of ultrasonic waves is used. The ultrasonic echoes received by the ultrasonic probe are converted into transfer signals and transmitted to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body, and images based on the transfer signals are generated in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body. The ultrasonic probe and the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body are often wiredly connected via a cable. However, ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses in wireless communication stile for wireless information communication between the ultrasonic probe and the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body are being developed. In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses in wireless communication stile, there is a great advantage that the burden of using the cable can be removed, but ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses in wired communication stile may have an advantage in power supply to the ultrasonic probe.
Further, conventionally, mainstream ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses have been large-scaled and provided in examination rooms for exclusive use. However, recent years, portable ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses have been proposed. The portable ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses have advantages that an examiner can easily carry the apparatus and it is not necessary to move examinees to the examination room provided with the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus in order to perform ultrasonic diagnoses. However, if its display device or the like is made larger, the apparatus is inconvenient for carrying. Accordingly, in the case where it is desirable to display detailed images on a large screen to perform diagnoses or the like, large-scaled apparatuses may be advantageous.
As described above, regarding the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses, there are both advantages and disadvantages in wired communication stile and wireless communication stile, and in large-scaled type and portable type, respectively. Therefore, it is desired that wired communication stile and wireless communication stile, large-scaled type and portable type, and so on are used according to the advantages and disadvantages.
As a related technology, Japanese Patent Application Publication JP-P2005-261595A discloses a configuration in which one ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body can keep up with plural kinds of ultrasonic probes. However, according to the technology of JP-P2005-261595A, although the plural kinds of ultrasonic probes can be used, the configuration at the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body side is the same, and it may be impossible to use the wired communication stile and wireless communication stile, large-scaled type and portable type, and so on according to the situations.